As of 2015, Kent Nagano has been General Music Director (Generalmusikdirektor) and chief conductor (Chefdirigent).

The forerunner organization, die Philharmonische Gesellschaft (The Philharmonic Society), was founded on 9 November 1828, and was led by Friedrich Wilhelm Grund.

[1][2] In 1905, Gustav Mahler conducted the Hamburg premiere of his Symphony No.

[3] In 1934 it merged with the Stadttheater-Orchester to become the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg.

[4] Under this name a celebrated Eighth Symphony of Anton Bruckner under Eugen Jochum in 1949 was recorded.